Aurangzeb

The
sixth ruler of Mughal Empire was Emperor Aurangzeb. He was the son of
emperor Shah Jahan had his wife Mumtaz Mahal. He was born on 3rd
November, 1618. A devout Muslim, he strictly adhered to Islam and made
sure that his kingdom followed the same. He was not religiously tolerant
like his ancestors and made Islamic law the foundation of reign. He
destroyed many Hindu temples and forced many non-Muslims to convert into
Islam. Read this short biography to know more about the life history of
Mughal emperor Aurangjeb.

Aurangzeb retained the throne for almost 50 years. He spread the extent
of Mughal Empire to the entire Indian sub continent barring the
southernmost tip of India. However, his constant battles and wars
overextended the empire alarmingly and isolated from the Rajput allies.
The subjects and citizens showed resentment but no one had the power or
strength to do a revolt. The religious policies of Aurangzeb widened the
gap between Hindus and Muslims. He had a very strong hand and is
generally considered to be the last successful Mughal emperor.

Aurangzeb was a simple man who led a pious life. He never touched
alcohol and led a simple life. His predecessors were lavish in their
lifestyle and collected anything that was beautiful, precious and
unique. Aurangzeb did not like architecture and not many monuments are
credited to him. Aurangzeb disliked music and banned any form of music
or dance in his kingdom. Most of his life was spent on the battlefield
conquering territories and trying to conquer the Deccan.

Though Aurangzeb was an able warrior and fiercely protected his
territories, his weakness was that he was too strict and cruel. He never
committed injustice and remained a just ruler. However, his state
policies and way of ruling only angered the citizens and they turned
against him. His constant warfare and waging battles emptied his
treasures and slowly the Mughal Empire started to go towards its
decline. By the time he reached 90 years of age, he realized he had
committed many sins and led the life of an ascetic. He died on 3rd
March, 1707 and was buried in a modest tomb.